Trimmer for photographic prints.



R. M. CATHCART.

TRIMMER FQR PHMOGRAPHIC PRINTS.

APPLICATION mzpmw 22. m1.

1,267,055. Patented May 21,1918.

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1 ,267,055. Patented May 21,1918.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 21, 1918.

Application fled Kay 92, 1817. Serial No, 170,810.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Rosnn'r M. CATHGABT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ballston, in the county of Alexandria and State of Vir 'na, have invented certain new m rovements in Trimmers for Photographic rints, of which the following is a specification. V. I

' his invention relates to an improved trimmer for photographic prints and has as its primary object to rovide a device of this character which wil be illuminated in such manner that the edges of the 'icture may, without regard as to whether t e picture is face up or down, be easily discerned and the print thus accurately trimmed with the groper margins.

T e invention has as a further object to provide a trimmer having a transparent cutting table illuminated from beneath so that the edges of a picture placed on the table to be. cut may be easily seen.

The invention has as a further and equally important object to provide a trimmer wherein the light will be directed against the outer side of the fixed blade of the cutting knife sothat when a print is projected over the said blade to be cut the light will strike the print making it easily possible to quickly erceive the adjacent edge of the icture and accordingly position the picture or trimming with a proper mar in.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a trimmer having a reflector for directing the light up through the cutting table and also a reflector arranged to direct the light against, the outer side of the fixed blade of the trimmer.

And the invention has as a still further object to provide a construction wherein, when a picture having a light background is to be trimmed, the light may, when desired, be cut oif immediately at the inner side of the fixed blade of the cutting knife for overcoming any tendency toward fogging of the edges of the picture.

Other and incidental objects will a pear as the description proceeds and in the rawin wherein I have illustrated the preferred em odiment of the invention and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my im- Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view more particularly showing the mounting of the amp employed, Fig. 3 18 a longitudinal sectional view illustrating the. construction of the body of the device and the mounting of the transparent cutting table, and

Fig. 4 is a front elevation illustrating the mo1mting of the tpivoted cutting blade.

In carrying out e invention my improved trimmer is formed with 9. preferably rectangular body having parallel side walls 10 joined by a top wall 11. The body may,

of course, .be varied in dimensions as occasion may demand and is preferably formed from a single piece of sultable sheet metal. At their lower edges the side walls of the body are formed with inwardly directed lateral flanges 12 extending throughout the entire 1 of the said walls and secured to the sai flanges are a plurality of knobs 13 of rubber or other soft material upon which the body is supported.

For a portion of its length the top wall tensions 17 having downwardly inclined ugper edges and upwardly curved lower e ges, the flanges 12 extending along the lower. edges of the said extensions and curving therewith. The bottom wall 15 of the lamp chamber is extended along the curved portions of the flanges 12 and is curved upwardly'to conform thereto and rovide a. second reflector 18 concave-convex 111 crdss section and arranged in advance of the forward end edges of the side walls 10. From the reflector 18 the extended portion of the top'wall 11 is then directed between the upper edges of the extensions 17 and conforms to the inclination of the said edges to provide a downwardly inclined shavings board 19 extending above the said reflector.

At the forward end edges of the side walls 10 the wall forming the shavings board 19 is then continued'upwardly at arr angle between the said side walls to form an end wall 20 for the lamp chamber 16 and this end wall is rebent upon itself to provide a vertically arranged screen 21 pro ecting downwardl into the said chamber. Struck from the si e wallslO of the bodgQare a plurality of inwardly directed lugs extending beneath the reflector 14 and secured thereto for connecting the side walls with the reflector and supporting the reflector in position while a plurality of rivets or other suitable fasteningodevices are employed for connectg the ttom wal115 and reflector 18 with the flanges 12 of the side walls. This provides a construction whereby the side walls will be effectually braced with respect to each other.

Seating against the front wall 20 of the lam chamber is the fixed blade 23 of the cutting knife resting at its extremities upon the upper edges of the extensions 17 of the side walls 10 and connected to the end wall 20 by a plurality of rivets or other suitable fastening devices which also extend throu h the screen 21. The blade will thus be y supported in position and at its upper ed e the said blade is preferably of a width su stantially equal to that of the margin of an ordinary hotographic print with the outer face of t e blade slightly inclined to provide a shearing edge at the upper outer corner of the blade. Formed on the forward end edges of the side walls 10 are inwardly directed lugs 24 seating against the inner face of the screen 21 at its extremities and secured to the said screen as Well as the end Wall 20 of the lamp chamber by one or more of the rivets securing the blade 23.

These lugs thus serve to join the side walls 10 of the body with the end wall 20 for bracing the said side walls with respect to each other adjacent the cutting blade 23 and rigidly supporting the said blade. Con nected to one of the side walls 10 of the body atone extremity of the fixed blade 23 of the cutting knife is a supporting bracket for the noted blade of t e sai knife. This brac et is formed at its upper extremity with a cam 25 and mounted upon the said. bracket is a knife bar 26 swin ingly connected to the bracket by a pivotbo t 27 extending through the said bar. The knife bar 26 is, at its inner extremity provided with a cam 28 to coiiperate with the cam 25 of the bracket and at its outer extremity is formed with a suitable handle. Set into the lower edge of the said bar and suitably secured thereto is a pivoted knife blade 29 adapted to cooperate with the fixed blade 23. As particularly shown in Fig.1 of the drawings, the pivot bolt 27 projects beyond the inner side of the bracket 24 and inte d between the bracket and thenut of the said bolt is a helical 'spri 30 surrounding the bolt and normally ho ding the ordina blade 23 as the downward stro e of the' blade 29 is completed. Accordingly, the cutting blade 29 will, when swung downwardl always be urged to cooperate with the blade 23 for easily and quickly trimming the hotographic prints.

Closing the upperside of the lamp chamber 16 1s a transparent cutting table 31.- This table may be formed of glass or other transparent material and is received between the sidewalls 10 of the body to be sup orted at its front edge upon the front wal 20 of the lamp chamber and at its rear edge within a transversely extending oifset 32 formed in the up er extremity of the reflector 14 with the said table fitting snugly between the said side walls and abutting the cutting blade 23 in a plane with the upper edge thereof. Struck from the side walls 10 are a plurality of inwardly directed lugs 33 engaging beneath the table for supporting the side edges thereof. In thus mountin the table, the said table will, under or inary circumstances, be held firmly in position whileat the same time, the said table may be readily removed when desired. Arranged upon the table to extend parallel with t e fixed cutting blade 23 are a lurality of guide lines 34. These guide lines are referabl opaque or nearly so and may be ormed o stri s of paper pasted to the table. On the ot er hand, the said guide lines ma be painted on the table, if desired, and pre erably the said ide lines are each of a width correspondin to that of the mar 'n of a p otographic print while 't e sai guide lines are arra ed a similar distance apart. Extending on tudinally of the bod 10 and overlying t e adjacent margin of t e table 31 isa ru er 35 secured at one extremity to the top wall 11 of the body and at its opposite extremity to the fixed'b ads 23. Formed'in the shavings board 19 to extend throughout the major portion of the length thereof is a window opening and set into the said opening is a window 36 of glass or other ap roved transparent material. The side e gas of this window are supported by flanges 37 struck from'the shavin board to engage beneath the window an bearing over the ends of the window are spaced lugs 38 also integral with the shavings board. The window will thus be held firmly in position with the said window disposed flush with the upper face of the shavings board.

Mounted within the lamp chamber 16 and connected in any approved manner to one of the sidewalls 10 of the body is an electric lamp socket 39 of suitable desi and detachably mounted within the said a socket is a lamp 40. This lam is preferably of the character shown in ig. 2 of the drawings to extend throughout the ma'or portion of the width of the lamp cham er and in this connection attention 1s directed to the fact that the said lamp is mounted adjacent the bottom wall of the chamber opposite the reflector 18 so that an increased .portion of the rays from the lamp will strike the said reflector. Moreover it is to be observed that the screen 21 terminates at its lower edge in a plane with the u per edge of the lamp. Mounted within the am chamber above the lamp is a rotatab e shutter 41 carried by a rod 42 pivoted upon understood from the preceding description,

the rays from the lamp will be deflected by the reflector 14 up through the cutting table 31 while at the same time the reflector 18 will also act to direct the rays from the lamp up through the window 36 against the outer side of the fixed blade 23 of the cutting knife at the shearing edge thereof. Accordingly, a photographic print may be placed upon the cutting table and the edges of the picture readily discerned without regard as to whether the picture is right side up or upside down. Owing to the provision of the guide lines 34, the print may then be easily positioned with an edge of the picture arranged parallel to the cutting blade 23 when the print may be moved forwardly upon the table to project over the said blade. Since the upper edge of the cutting blade 23 is of a width corresponding to the width of the margin to be trimmed upon the picture, the picture is advanced until the adjacent edge thereof passes over the front edge of the cutting table and is rendered opaque by the adjacent edge of the cutting blade when the pivoted blade may be moved downwardly for accurately trimming the print. This provides an arrangement wherein light and shadow are employed for properly positioning the print and owing to the ease with which the shadow of the fixed blade 23 may be determined upon the print when an edge thereof is moved from the transparent cutting table 31 onto the blade, the operation of trimming photographic prints is very much simplified while at the same time the trimming operation will be more accurate. In any instance where a photographic print having a light background is to be trimmed, the shutter 41 may be employed." This shutter will, when moved to transverse position, cut ofi' the major portion of the li ht immediately at the inner side of the xed cutting blade to thus overcome any tendency towar fogging of the edges of the picture. However, it will be noted that the shutter is so arranged that a crack is provided between the inner edge of the shutter and the screen 21 through which an indirect and consequently mellow light will be admitted to the table 31 adjacent the inner side of the blade 23 for furnishing suflicient illumination to thetable to permit accurate trimming of the print.

To overcome the possibility of trimming a photographic print too close or actually cutting the picture, the reflector 18 is provided. Indirect .rays from the lamp 40 will be cut ofl' from the reflector by the screen 21 so that the said reflector will direct alstrong light through the window 36 and against the outer side of the cuttin blade 23 at the shearing edge thereof. onsequently, the margin of a picture when projected over the blade 23 into the light from the reflector will be rendered translucent so that the edge of the picture may be readily perceived and accurately positioned with respect to the shearing edge of the said blade. It has been found that this feature of the present invention constitutes a highly advantageous arrangement and onetending to materially expedite the operation of trimming photographic prints. Shavings from the prints will fall upon the shavings board 19 to be directed thereby over the reflector 18 to a position out of, the way.

It will therefore be seen that this invention will alleviate the present inaccurate and tedious methods of trimming photographic prints in that a means is provided for quickly positioning the print ready for trimming with the future margin visible before it is cut.

Having thus described the invention, what is claime as new is:

1. A device of the character described including a body providin a lamp chamber a transparent cutting tab e arranged at t e upper side of the body, cutting means carried by the body at one extremity thereof, and a shutter carried by the body for cutting oil a portion of the light rays from a lamp within the said chamber at a point adjacent the inner side of the said cutting means.

2. A device of the character described including a body providing a lamp chamber, a cutting table arranged at the upper side of the body, cutting means carried by the body ill a,

adjacent one extremity thereof, and a reflector carried by the body in advance of the said cutting means for directingethe rays from a lam within the said cham ragainst the outer si e of the said means.

3. A device of the character described including a body providin a lamp chamber, a transparent cuttingofiiab e arran ged at the up er side of the y, cutting means carrie' b the body ad acent one extremity thereo a reflector arranged within the body below the said table, an a second reflector mounted in advance of the said cutting means, the said reflectors beingrg'espectively ada ted to direct the rays m a lamp wit in the said chamber toward the cutting table and against the outer side of the sai cutting means.

4. A device of the character described including a body having side walls joined by a top wall the to l)l wall being free for a portion of its lengt and being inclined between the side walls to provide a reflector within the body and thence extended to form a second reflector. a transparent cutting table arranged at the upper side of the body, and cutting means carried by the body adjacent one extremity thereof, the said reflectors being adapted to direct the rays 80 from a lamp arranged therebetween up through the said cutting table and against the outer side of the said cutting means.

5. A device of the character described including a body provided with a lamp cham- IB her, a transparent cutting table arranged at the upper side of the said chamber, cutting means carried by the body, and ashavings board sloping forwardly and downwardly from the said cutting means.

6. A device of the character described including a body, a cutting table arranged at the upper side of the body, cutting means carried by the body. a reflector arranged in advance of the said cutting means, and a shavings board sloping downwardly from the said cutting means over the said reflector and provided with a window opening, the

said reflector being adapted to direct the light rays from a lamp within the body through the said window opening against the outer side of the said cutting means.

7. A device of the character described including a body, a cutting table arranged at the upper side of the body. cutting means I carried by the body. a reflector arranged in advance of the cutting means. and a screen projecting into the body and arranged to cut of above the reflector indirect light rays from a lamp arranged within the body, the

It said reflector being adapted to direct the light rays against the outer side of the said cutting means 8. Adeviee of the character described including a body having side walls joined by ll a top wall, the top vwall being freed ber, cutting means carried f said wall being curved to provide a the side dzllralls 1m21nd exteitigred therebetween to provi a p cham a transparent cutting table arranged at the upper side of the said chamber, and cutting means carried by the body.

9. In a trimmer for the combination of a ti a aren cuttin table arranged at e upper side of the cutting means carried by the body, and ectors wlthin'the body for illuminatin a print upon the said table at opposite si es of said cutting means.

10. A device of the character described including a body providing a lamp chamber, cutting means carried ythe body adjacent one extremity thereof, and means for directing the rays from a lamp within the said chamber toward the outer side of the said cutting means. 7

11. A device of'the character described including a body providing a lamp chamy the body adjacent one extremity thereof, and means carried by the bod in advance of the said cuttin means for Ehdotographic prints,

lrectin the rays from a lamp wit in the said cham er toward the outer side of the said cutting means.

12. A device of the character described including a body providing a lamp chamber, cutting means carried by the body, and means carried by the body for directing the rays within the said chamber toward opposite sides of said cutting means.

13. A device of the character described including a body providing a lam cham' her, and cutting means carried by t e body adjacent one extremity thereof, a wall of the body being arranged to provide a reflector for directing the rays from a lamp within the said chamber toward the outer side of said cutting means.

14. A device of the character described including a body providing a lamp chamber, a transparent cutting table carried by the body, cutting means carried by the body adjacent one extremity thereof, and means for cutting of! a portion ofthe rays from a lamp within the said chamber at one side of the said cutting means.

15. A device of the character described including a body providing a lamp chamber, a transparent cutting table carried by the body, cutting means carried by the body adjacent one extremity thereof, means for directing the rays from a lamp within the said chamber against the outer side of said cutting means, and means for cutting ofl' indirect light rays above the said first mentioned means.

16. A device of the character described including a body having side walls provided with flanges, a wall extending between said side walls and resting upon said flanges to form a lamp chamber within the hourly, the

ector,

and cutting means carried by the body adadjacent one' extremity thereof a reflector 10 jacent one extremity thereof, the said 'remounted to direct the rays of a iam within flector being arranged to direct the rays thesaid chamber toward the outer si eof the of a lamp within the said chamber toward said cutting means, and means for cutting 5 the outer side of the said cutting means. ofi' indirect light rays from the lamp above 17. A device of the character described the said reflector and from the reflector at 16 including a body providing a lamp chamthe inner side of the said cutting means. her, a transparent cutting table carried by In testimony whereof I afiix ll ll hsi ature. the body, cutting means carried by the body ROBERT M. GA ART. 

